Tortoise and Fox [BL]

4.15

Amari's mind buzzed with different scenarios regarding Leishan as he paced around the room.

He could wait, he supposed, like last time for Leishan to announce himself. Perhaps he could tag along with Jun later in the evening and catch the moment's chance to "coincidentally" run into Leishan.

He bumped his head against the door, letting his forehead press into the faint grooves.

He didn't actually want any of those scenarios to play out.

Amari wanted to spend time with Leishan on his own terms. Not by chance or fate. By his choice. He wanted to really confirm... if what Leishan said the night before still rang true.

With a deep breath, Amari opened the door and asked the bystanding servant for directions to Leishan's bedchambers. He walked across one vibrantly carpeted hall and down another, only to stop at the very end. The stationed servant looked at him with curious eyes. He helpfully spoke up.

"The Prince of Beijie's Aide, Leishan, resides in this chamber. Does the Caller need anything?"

"Yes, I have business with him."

The servant bowed and stepped farther away. Amari approached the door and knocked with a tense fist. He cringed away at how deafening the knocks were—his control had slipped. Amari hurriedly attempted to remedy the harsh noise.

"It's Amari. I hoped to ask if you—"

The door flew open behind to reveal Leishan, trying his hardest to hold an even face. He looked flushed, as if he ran laps around in his room prior.

"—would like to join me in visiting the manor I'll be moving to."

"I'll join you," Leishan responded instantly.

Amari imagined a fluffy, wagging tail behind Leishan. He was obviously excited—it was adorable. Then, as they walked, Amari spoke up with a realization.

"This is the first time I've asked you to go somewhere?"

"Yes. It made me happy."

"Really? Then I'll be sure to do it more often."

Amari returned to his room to retrieve his personal belongings. The servants insisted he moved them to the manor, out of superstition, or perhaps tradition. The mixed back and forth of servants attempting to explain left Amari with an incoherent understanding. The only thing he understood was that the actions would weigh heavily on the servants if the belongings were to befall misfortune. The result could even be as extreme as ruining the Caller's power and releasing a drought over the kingdom.

Amari nodded seriously at these remarks. He wondered how much of it was created by previous Callers to prevent ordinary thieves from stealing their belongings. Amari rolled the overstuffed cloak up and pulled the bulging satchel over his chest. Leishan stood nearby, holding the door open.

"Shall I help?"

"No, I believe I have to do this myself, else the servants in the halls may faint," Amari joked.

The wall that Amari had built against Leishan had been long since dismantled. It felt safe to speak around him, relieved by the window of understanding into Leishan's emotions. And at the last, the quick beats in his chest—Amari welcomed them. It no longer burned his chest with deep guilt. And though guilt did linger, every laugh of Leishan's in response to his nonplussed jabs diluted it.

Leishan laughed often. He laughed so easily in person—not so when they spoke during their exchange as Caller and Holder. Although, Amari realized, perhaps it was because they were never truly on speaking terms in the past.

He looked on at the smile playing upon Leishan's lips, and the door held open by his arm. Amari smiled as he walked through and down the hall beside Leishan.

Maybe if they spent more time together, Amari's worries would begin to ease, too.

*

Jun guided Minato through the most interesting places.

Where he hid as a child from the maids. His favorite vantage point before ducking into the kitchens and begging for tanggao, a Beijian rice cake fluffed with cinnamon. His favorite napping spot in the manor's library. And how he always snuck away into the busy parts of Beijie through a certain back window before sneaking his horse out and riding into the kingdom, cloaked and hidden.

They paused at a sight familiar to them. Jun tapped the stone table—the same one they had once sat across upon meeting for the first time with their official titles. It was dry. Amari warned it wouldn't stay dry for long. T0 sense the rain was a great gift, Jun thought in passing.

Minato took a proper seat at the table, prim and proper. Jun's etiquette was nothing but lax in face of Minato's ingrained eloquence.

"Why the name?" Minato asked. "A Nanjian name."

Jun pondered the question aloud. "Hm...it's handsome. Suave, and full of the unknown. Beijie residents originally from Nanjie are uncommon, but not unheard of. People here don't like to pry. No one would be asking me how I came to be. Such was a benefit."

"And the name's meaning?"

"You tell me, Crown Prince. Does Nanjie not flaunt its pride in academia and scholarly wisdom?"

Jun leaned in across the table with a half-hung grin. Minato put a hand to his chin, mouthing the name in silence. Jun Mizuhara. Jun Mizuhara, his silent tongue said. Jun would never grow tired of the way Minato's lips mouthed his name.

"The rain's origin," Minato finally said, tilting his head back to the overcast sky. "A clever name."

"The rain is my homage. It is my legacy, and yet it is also the foundation of my existence. A Nanjian name with a Beijian meaning. Isn't it interesting?"

"It is interesting. You are interesting."

Minato clapped his hand over his mouth, but the absentminded words slipped by. And Jun leapt on it like a predator catching prey. He stood up and bolted to Minato's side with a delighted expression.

"No, no, say less my Crown Prince. You are the interesting one. So curious and amiable. Likable, loveable, endearing..."

The praises went on, as did the crimson crawling up from Minato's neck to his cheeks until, finally, he could withstand no more and strode back inside. Jun trailed behind, his belly full of laughter. He wiped tears from his eyes as he watched Minato cough away his blush and strike conversation with a nearby servant, asking about this and that.

There were many things he still had to do. He had to speak to his father. About Minato, about their relationship, and the truth regarding himself. The conversation would be difficult on both his mind and heart. Hesitation plagued him—it was difficult preparing to upset a delicate balance he had spent so long orchestrating.

Minato's eyes lit up as he turned to see Jun hanging back from the conversation. He bid a quick farewell to the servant and strode over to Jun.

"The nice sir said the stablehands were interested in showing us through the stables. I'm very interested to see how your staff organize the horses and care for them."

"You talk as if we might treat our horses entirely different from yours," Jun teased with a smile.

He led Minato in the direction of the stables, exiting the interior of the manor. Sunlight peeked past a blanket of overcast clouds. The taste of dew tinged each breath of fresh air. Jun laughed along, their conversation flowed as naturally as a freshwater spring, endlessly bubbling forth. Their hands bumped together; fingers interlocked firmly.

There would always be conflicts to navigate.

Yet, Jun had a feeling everything would be okay so long as Minato was there beside him.